Automatic track-sanding apparatus



(No Model.) M; M. DODD.

AUTOMATIC .TRACK SANDING APPARATUS.

No. 518,715. Patented Apr. 24, 1894.,

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VTME NATIONAL LlmochAr-Hmu ooMiANwr.

UNITED STATES ,y

PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHEWM. DODD, OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTO- MATIC TRACK-SANDING COMPANY, OF MAINE.

AUTOMATIC TRACK-SANDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,715, dated April 24,1894.

4 Application filed March 30,1893. Serial No. 46,392. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

103e it known that I, MATTHEW M. DODD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of 5 Vlrginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticTrack-Sanding Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in zo the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention` relates to certain new and useful improvements in automatic track sanding apparatus, and it has for its objects among others to provide a simple and cheap attachment to the air brakes now in use Wherezc by air Will be automatically supplied to the sanding apparatus.

It is a Well-knownfact that it is now obligatory upon the engineers upon nearly all of the railroad lines throughout the country to apply sand to the tracks at the same time or immediately before the brakes are applied in order to prevent the wheels from sliding or skidding. Heretofore, it has been the practice, so far as I am aware, to have the parts 3o so constructed `and arranged that the act of supplying the sand has been independent of that of applying the brakes, that is, it has required the turning of an independent lever, such as the opening of aglobe or other valve by hand. It often happens that the engineer will forget or neglect to close this valve after having opened it to permit of the iiow of the sand and the consequence is that he thereby loses the greater portion of the sand in the 4o sand box Without deriving any benefit therefrom.

The main object of my present invention is to so construct and arrange the parts that the sand will be supplied automatically or immediately before the brakes are applied.

I connect a pipe with the air brake in sucha` Way that when the valve handle is turned to apply the brakes and when it reaches what is known as a lap air is supplied to the 5o sanding apparatus. My device brings the main reservoir in communication with the `said pipe every time the brakes are applied.

The air supply is shut oft as the lever is turned to `take off the brakes.

My improvements are applicable to air brakes nowinuse. It is shown in connection `with the air brake and sanding device of Leach, but is applicable to other forms. It adds but little to the cost of the sanding apparatus and can be readily applied without 5o any material change in the structure thereof.

Other objects and advantages ot' the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form apart of this specification, and in Which- Figure l is a sectional view showing my 7o improvements. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the brake lever, key and cap-nut removed.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in both of the views where they appear.

As my present invention has no relation 7 5 to the peculiar construction and arrangement of the parts of the sanding apparatus of theV peculiar characterof the air brake other than Willbe hereinafter explained I have shown only such parts as are intimately connected 8o with my invention.

Only such parts of the brake mechanism as cooperate with my improvements will be described.

Referring then to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the valve and A the connection with the main reservoir. y

B is the key and C the cap nut. The space between the top of the valve and the under side of the key is always open to the main 9o reservoir.

D'is a small pipe connected at one end with the cap nut O and at the other end with the pipe E which is the pipe now employed running from the main reservoir to the sand box, notshown. In my construction I dispense with the globe valve, usually located in the pipe E usually at about the point e and manipulated by hand by the engineer to supply air to the sanding apparatus. roo

- ventionfor sacrificing any L., K eyandproe" `vided with a portgf/ through-fit Whiohfis brought into open, communicationvwith the pipe D when the engineer moves `the handle a of his valve to apply the `brakes and when the handle reaches what `is known as on lap and is closed when the handle snioved vm the opposite directionftommaso` them.k

This obviates theneoessityotthe engineer i having to manipulate the globe valvehereinbefore yreferred to eachV time he appliesl the:k

brakes and closing. it when he releasesthem.

` The valve is actuated toadmit air tothe sanding box eachtime the 1orakeleverllandie o is operated and bythe same movement; this makes onelessmovement fortheengineer and one'less thing,"v for-himfto renlember. It

" will be understoodthatxthe portinjtliewvalve f .which is integral with andmoveswith the key'is brought into communication with the oblong port d in thecapnut Whichcommuni- Gatesy with the pipel)l each? time the `handle is turned to apply the brakes asl Lsoon as the handlereaches what is known ason lap andil as positively ont owh'e'n the handleis turned" to' release them. fr .Y y f l' I In order that the sand may be applied to the tracks immediately before the brakes are Y applied, I make the port 'el in the. cap-nut of such length as to permit the air to pass through the said port tothe pipe D, during the forward movement f `the handle of the` he said handle has f ance tojapply the brake valve, and befor beeny moved "a sufficient brakes.r l

Modifications in detail .maybe resorted to Without departing from thespirit of the in-` t'its advantages,Y t What Ic claim asnew isef l w ln'llhe combination ot the engineersbrake valve,-a keyoarrying'the-valve for supplying air to the track sanding,y apparatus, andthe engineers ylever o, alladapted to,y be' moved around the same vertical ax.is,pand the said v valve for supplying air tothe track sanding apparatusbeing Within` thesamehousin'g as f "the engineers valve,V `substantiallyas and for` thepurpose specifi" f Iy 2. The y combinati brake valve, a. lever operating said v o f andakeyliavinaf valveintegralthereof f folupplyea rake sanding appak rato ,y y oneroasegsubstantially as specified. n i

i 3.` The `combination `with the e said; twoxvalvesz being inciosfedli engine f 5 brake valve, chey lever for operatingsaid valve`r and the part B interposed between the saidjop'-` A erating `leverfand said engineers valve, and l t notonly servingasakey betweenthe tWo,b`ut I also con taining` an openinggffor automatically `6 rsupplyingair to the sanding apparatus, s b

stantially as'shownjand described.

j 4. The combinationpwith thefbrakeva leverlandY the'keyfor operating the brakek valve, of a cap nut, a pipe connected with/the 6 cap nut,fand a valve integral with the key,

f whereby airisautomaticallysupplied tosaid y `pipeloythe movementof the said lever, as

andfor' the purposespecified.`

lever, a key for operating the brake valve have` ing a valve integralfiherewith forfsupplying p air to ythe, track sanding apparatus, of a pipeI `for supplying-air tothe sand box, the saidvalve for supplyingair to the sandingapparatus b "ing `operated, by the brakevalve Vlever to a mit air to the said' pipe, substantially afs""set l fora-` 6. The combination Withthe brake-valve 1 lever, a key for operating the brake valve and 8oy the valve for supplying air to the track sanding apparatus', integral with the said key,and the cap-nut,r of a pipe connected Withthe rcap nut Wherebyair is automatically supplied toy 1 f A the said pipeby themovement of the saidle-` 85 ver,1as'and for'the purpose specified.. y

The combination with the engineersr 1 r brake `valvejand ythe lever @for actuatingthe I samemavalvebetween saidengineers bralfre` y f' valve andsaid engineers valve lever, 'adapted l to supplyair tothe track-,sanding apparatus whichinterme n i ng apparatus is ntegralwit the track s the klei'. Bib@ Ween: the, engineers lever im the engineers brake valve lA, and connect the cavityoi'f the casingof the engineersvalv tially i as shown and describ ed.

Intestimony w erect? I afxmysignaturei 5. :Thecombinauon with the airbmke va ve ,7o` f `with the tracksanding apparatus, substany 

